CAREER: Biomimetic 2-in-1 Sensor for Probing Mechanical and Electrical Cellular Responses Simultaneously

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The cell is a basic functional element in biology, and as such the cellular state is ultimately connected to every aspect in human health and bodily function. The mechanical and electrical behaviors of a cell are two basic properties that indicate cell state, and consequently are important for health monitoring, disease diagnosis, and tissue repair. A comprehensive assessment of cellular status requires the knowledge of both mechanical and electrical properties at the same time, which remains challenging because the two properties are usually measured by different sensors, while the degree of cell perturbation increases with the number of sensors used. This project aims to develop a type of nanoscale (i.e., very small) sensor which can simultaneously measure both the mechanical and electrical properties in a cell. The convergence of both measurements in one sensor will provide (1) an automatic solution to the simultaneous measurement of both properties, and (2) a means of acquiring information without introducing additional cell perturbation. This sensor technology can lead to more precise biomedical devices for disease modeling, drug screening, and health diagnostics. The interdisciplinary research will also serve as a platform for outreach and broadening participation in STEM education.This project will investigate multiple sensing mechanisms in a nanostructured sensor to enable simultaneous mechanical- and electrical-signal couplings and transductions at the cell-sensor interface. The central approach is to borrow from structures in multifunctional biological sensory organelles to engineer a nanoscale sensor, which is expected to yield functional emulation for multi-parameter sensing. The concept of merging multiple sensing functions in one device will broaden the capabilities of general bio-interface engineering, yielding (1) a solution in synchronization and scalability for multiparameter measurements and (2) a ?2-in-1? economical integration approach important for minimizing invasiveness to biosystems. Eventually the biomimetic ?one-for-more? sensor concept will lead to efficient, parallel, and multi-thread cellular monitoring and communication. The developed sensor technology will also provide a new tool for fundamental studies in cell mechanics and electrophysiology. The research will also provide new insight on biomimetic approaches to building efficient interface to biosystemsThis award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.